Visual outcomes of cataract surgery: An observational study of ten years from a tertiary eye care hospital in Pakistan

Shahid Ahsan; Muhammad Saleh Memon; Sadia Bukhari; Tauseef Mahmood; Muhammad Faisal Fahim; Uzma Haseeb; Muhammad Arslan

doi:10.12669/pjms.37.7.4428

Visual outcomes of cataract surgery: An observational study of ten years from a tertiary eye care hospital in Pakistan

Pak J Med Sci. 2021 Nov-Dec;37(7):1775-1781. doi: 10.12669/pjms.37.7.4428.

Authors

Shahid Ahsan¹, Muhammad Saleh Memon², Sadia Bukhari³, Tauseef Mahmood⁴, Muhammad Faisal Fahim⁵, Uzma Haseeb⁶, Muhammad Arslan⁷

Affiliations

¹ Dr. Shahid Ahsan, MPhil (Bio), MPhil (NCD), PhD fellow Department of Biochemistry, Jinnah Medical & Dental College, Karachi, Pakistan.
² Dr. Muhammad Saleh Memon, FRCS(Eden) Department of Research, Al Ibrahim Eye Hospital, Isra Postgraduate Institute of Ophthalmology, Karachi, Pakistan.
³ Dr. Sadia Bukhari (MS Ophth) Department of Ophthalmology, Al Ibrahim Eye Hospital, Isra Postgraduate Institute of Ophthalmology, Karachi, Pakistan.
⁴ Mr. Tauseef Mahmood, M.Sc. (Statistics) Department of Research, Al Ibrahim Eye Hospital, Isra Postgraduate Institute of Ophthalmology, Karachi, Pakistan.
⁵ Mr. Muhammad Faisal Fahim, M.Sc. (Statistics) Department of Physical Therapy, Bahria University Medical & Dental College, Karachi, Pakistan.
⁶ Dr. Uzma Haseeb (FCPS) Department of Ophthalmology, Al Ibrahim Eye Hospital, Isra Postgraduate Institute of Ophthalmology, Karachi, Pakistan.
⁷ Mr. Muhammad Arslan (MCSW) Department of Research & Excellence, Al-Tibri Medical College, Karachi, Pakistan.

Abstract

Objectives: To observe and analyze the visual outcomes of cataract surgery of ten years at a tertiary eye care hospital, Karachi.

Methods: An observational study with retrospective data search was conducted in Al Ibrahim Eye Hospital (AIEH), Karachi. Data of all adults (above 16 years) who underwent cataract surgery from 2010-2019 was retrieved from HIMS. Presence of opacity in the lens was labelled as cataract. Surgery was advised when patient's BCVA was found to be ≤ 6/18. Visual assessments of the patients were done on day 01, one week and six weeks postoperatively. Postoperatively, 6/6 - 6/12 was considered as good, 6/18 as mild visual impairment, < 6/18 to 6/60 as moderate visual impairment and < 6/60 as severe visual impairment.

Results: A total of 1,027,840 patients visited AIEH with different eye diseases. Among 1027840 individuals, cataract was identified in 88443 (8.6%). Surgery was advised to 58371 and performed in 38616. Records of operated cases (38616) were retrieved. Mean age of patients was 54.96±14.22 years. There were 20578 (53.29%) males and 18038 (46.71%) females who underwent surgery . At the end of sixth week, 3561 (18.4%), patients were found to have "good vision", 12242 (63.43%) had mild visual impairment, 2676 (13.86%) had moderate visual impairment and 822 (4.26%) had severe visual impairment. Corneal Complications was the commonest cause (33.56%) at sixth week.

Conclusions: The institution achieved WHO recommended criteria of "good visual outcome" (6/6 to 6/18) of 81.83% which is near to recommended ≥ 90% and severe visual impairment of 4.26%.

Keywords: Cataract Extraction; Ophthalmic diseases burden; Phacoemulsification; Visual Acuity.